Growing satellites swarms disrupting Space Telescope Images, NASA reports

NASA has reportedly expressed concern over the increasing number of satellites in low-Earth orbit causing increasing light pollution that is ruining space telescopes across the field of view.

According to a new study published in Nature, it specifically concludes that light reflected or radiated by satellites could contaminate a large number of images taken by distinct telescopes over the next ten years.

The recent streaks falsify scientific data, making it difficult to analyze crucial observations from powerful telescopes.

The research study specifically analyzed four major missions: NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and SPHEREx, the European Space Agency’s ARRAKIHS and China’s Xuntian.

The simulations demonstrated that around 40 percent of Hubble images and approximately 96 percent of images from SPHE REx, ARRAKIHS, and Xuntian could contain satellite bands.

It has been observed that the effect is less for Hubble because it has a limited range in that area.

Orbiting telescopes can see an electromagnetic spectrum without distortions from the atmosphere, which makes them crucial for studying faint galaxies, planets, and other key targets.

In this connection, the lead authority of the study, Alejandro Borlaff said, “While until now most light pollution came from cities and vehicles, the rise of telecommunication satellite constellations is rapidly starting to affect astronomical observations worldwide.”

Mysterious concept of light contamination

Light contamination was once considered a complication for ground-based facilities.

The assumption was that space telescopes operating above the celestial sphere would be sequestered from human-based interference.

It has been observed that there were approximately 2,000 satellites in low-Earth orbit in 2019.

The current study estimates that 560,000 satellites could be in orbit by the 2030s.

The team simulated the orbital patterns of giant clusters such as Starlink Guowang, and Amazon’s network, and amalgamated them with distinct properties of each telescope: altitude, trajectory, and field of view.

The trajectories from satellites can be similar to the streaks generated by asteroids, while making it extremely difficult to track these perilous objects.

To accomplish the mission, the James Webb Space Telescope and other spacecraft operating at higher orbits, including Euclid and the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescopes, will also be affected by the contamination.

The recent satellite networks are influenced by Elon Musk’s Starlink network, which accounts for nearly three-quarters of satellites in orbit.

Nonetheless, the study elucidated that Starlink may demonstrate about one-tenth of the total, opening ways for new competitors to launch their own constellations.